morning," Charley said, accepting the modified plan without
hesitation.

"But, I say," he said, a little later, this time waking ME out of a
sound sleep.

I could hear him chuckling in the dark.

"I say, lad, isn't it rather a novelty for the fish patrol to be
taking to horseback?"

"Imagination," I answered. "It's what you're always preaching--
'keep thinking one thought ahead of the other fellow, and you're
bound to win out.'"

"He! he!" he chuckled. "And if one thought ahead, including a
mare, doesn't take the other fellow's breath away this time, I'm
not your humble servant, Charley Le Grant."

"But can you manage the boat alone?" he asked, on Friday.
"Remember, we've a ripping big sail on her."

I argued my proficiency so well that he did not refer to the matter
again till Saturday, when he suggested removing one whole cloth
from the after leech. I guess it was the disappointment written on
my face that made him desist; for I, also, had a pride in my boat-
sailing abilities, and I was almost wild to get out alone with the
big sail and go tearing down the Carquinez Straits in the wake of
the flying Greek.